5. – The Chicago TribuneGreen Fish Catches On “Good Eating salutes those people in the Chicago-area food and beverage world who are making a difference through their passion, vision and commitment to quality. This year’s awards go to a range of experts, including entrepreneurs, auctioneers, consultants, cooks and cheese mongers. All have enhanced the Chicago scene with their accomplishments.”

4. – The Boston Globe Kicking the Obesity Epidemic “While Michelle Obama is campaigning against childhood obesity, there’s Charles Barkley on TV hawking Taco Bell’s NBA Five Buck Box. The extra-large former basketball All-Star raps about the box’s crunchy tacos and volcano burritos, but doesn’t mention the Jumbotron-size helping of fat and calories. At 1,380 calories, the box contains close to two-thirds of what a typical 12-year-old needs for an entire day. And that’s before adding 200 calories for the soft drink that comes with the meal.”

3. – The LA TimesThe Best Tastes of City Center in Las Vegas “How many high-end restaurants can Vegas support, particularly in this economy? Easily a dozen more just opened in the new $11-billion CityCenter complex on the Strip and a number of them definitely have enough wow factor to pull in the hungry tourists.”

2. – The NY TimesProof that Storing Knives Doesn’t have to be Dull “There are plenty of alternatives to traditional wooden knife blocks, which can take up too much room in small kitchens, he noted, and present health risks unless they have removable sleeves that can be washed. “If you put dirty knives in there and the interior has bacteria, it will attach to the knives,” Mr. Santos said. “The most common cause for mild stomach irritation usually comes from utensils that aren’t cleaned properly.”

1. – The Washington PostDinner is Served, but we Can’t Tell You Where “It was an exclusive invitation to “an exclusive underground anti-restaurant,” the e-mail explained. “Because the DNA of the magical dinner is unmapped, these events will evolve, month to month, season to season, place to place & plate to plate.”